Third POV

Halo's eyes brightened at the sight of the rebel. "You again? I thought you skipped town by now!" He said half-jokingly. "What are you doing here? My brother is going to kill you!"

Malia blushed in embarrassment when all the Hira siblings turned her way. "Why would she need to skip town?" Misty asked suspiciously. Halo realized he was getting into a whole different topic.

"That's not important right now," he declared dramatically, then pointed the bouquet of daffodils at Leilani. "I need a word with you, my lady. Or so help me, I will beg infront of everyone and bring you waves of embarrassment."

Leilani scowled, looking over his shoulder. Seeing the royal carriage outside her fence made her blood boil. "Do you have any idea how much misfortune you're going to bring me by coming back here?"

"So dramatic," Halo smiled and laughed. "Misfortune? Really? All I'm doing is sweeping you off your feet again."

"You have five minutes, then you're out," Leilani hissed, walking up to him and grabbing his forearm to lead him into a room. Halo grinned annoyingly wide to everyone he passed, his heart and mind on cloud nine.

She was going to listen to him.

When the door shut behind him, Halo thrusted the flowers toward her. Leilani took the bouquet, smelled it and tossed it to the floor. Halo's face fell.

"The florist is going to be really sad that you did that," he told her disappointedly. Leilani only maintained her glare.

"You really thought flowers would fix three years of your absence?" She asked harshly.

"No, but I knew it would finally get us here. To a spot where we can talk freely about our feelings," Halo said.

"You already know my feelings. I. Don't. Love. You. Anymore!" She yelled in his face.

Halo went pathetically silent. He knew he'd encounter more of her harsh words, but he thought he'd be better prepared at shielding himself from how much they hurt. "Stop saying that," he said lowly.

Leilani burst into bitter laughter. "Stop saying what? The truth?"

"You're just lying!" Halo raised his voice, though he never yelled so he just sounded desperate. "If you're so in love with someone else where is he, huh? Let me meet him!"

"What? No!" Leilani backed away from him. "What part about this dont you get anymore, Halo? I'm not yours anymore."

"You said forever," Halo said through clenched teeth. "You should have been clear that that expires after three years. Maybe I wouldn't have come back."

Leilani scoffed, crossing her arms defensively. "Don't act like you came back for me."

"I came back because I missed home. You were a part of my home. I absolutely did come back for you."

"Have some self-respect," Leilani shook her head. "I've rejected you so many times now, and yet you're still groveling? It's pathetic."

Halo shrugged. "Nothing pathetic in loving people more than you love yourself. I'm not giving up on you, I told you that."

"Well, you should. Because I don't care about you at all."

Halo suddenly stepped forward into her space, cupping his hands around her cheeks. He leaned in as though he would kiss her, pausing inches from her lips. Leilani held her breath, waiting for the moment, her lips pursed and ready. When it never came, she shoved at his chest furiously.

"I hate you!" She shouted, cheeks red with embarrassment. Halo wore a taunting grin.

"You still love me."

Leilani heaved, her eyes glossing over. "That proves nothing. I was waiting for you to kiss me so I could slap you!"

"Now I really believe nothing you say," he laughed. "Lying about your family getting exiled? Lying about having someone else? You know you don't have to do that, Lani. I belong to you and no one else. You don't have to try and hurt me to get me to submit."

"Lying?" Leilani's face twisted into anger. "I didn't lie about my family's exile!"

"Mmm right."

"Who told you that? The King?"

"He said your family left because they hated him. Which isn't untrue. They always treated Vaea as though he were other."

"That's not true, at all," Leilani shook her head in disbelief. "I can't believe you think I'd lie about that. This is my family we're talking about. Vaea's talking circles around your head again and you're so gullible you listened to the first bullshit he said."

Leilani's vehement anger made Halo's confidence falter. It didn't look like she was trying to make him feel guilty anymore. She seemed genuinely upset.

"So he's lying?" Halo asked confusedly.

"Yes! But as usual, you don't want to know anything about your brother."

"But why would Vaea lie? Why—"

There came light knocks on the door. "Uh, Prince Halo?" A feminine voice called. "Can I speak to you when you're done? It's Malia by the way."

"Of course! Give me just a few minutes!" Halo called back, making Leilani narrow her pointed eyes in a glare.

"How do you know her?" She asked, then scoffed. "Of course you know her. Why am I not surprised."

Halo furrowed his brows. "What is that supposed to mean?"

"Considering you flirt with the entire female population, I'm not surprised my new house guest wants to talk to you," she said in a heated tone. "Goddess, you must have thrown yourself at her—"

"I saved her from getting executed by Vaea, actually," Halo cut her jealous rant off, smirking. "And I don't flirt with anyone. I'm just polite and you're just insanely jealous."

"You saved her from what?" Leilani blurted, completely lost. She chose to ignore that last part, for her own sanity.

"Yup. Malia's a bit of a fugitive right now. She blew up one of the casinos or something or other and Vaea was going to kill her. I felt bad for her so I set her free. I'm confused to how she ended up here though..."

Leilani's heart went erratic. "She's a fugitive? Yunoa brought her and her friends here after he ran them over with a horse! I can't believe this. They have to go or I'm dead—"

"Woah woah wait," Halo moved closer to calm her down, but she just moved away. "I won't say anything to Vaea. He has no clue. He'd never find out. You can't just kick her out, give her at least a few days."

"You don't get to dictate what I should do in my house," Leilani said coldly. "In fact, go talk to your little fugitive. Go bond over your sweet moments."

Leilani shoved him out of the door, making Halo stammer incredulously. Wow, she must have really still loved him if she was getting that jealous.

"Is this bad timing?" Malia asked warily when Halo saw her in the hallway. She'd witnessed him getting pushed out of the room. He turned to her and acted completely cool about it, giving her a kind smile despite the embarrassing moment.

"Not at all. I'm glad to see you alive and well. Though I never thought we'd meet again," he told her.

"That wasn't the plan, trust me," she laughed nervously. "I guess it must be fate."

Halo chuckled at that. "A weird twist of fate, yes. Have you renounced your rebellious ways like I asked so nicely of you?"

Malia avoided his gaze, turning to look at the front door. "Actually about that. Can we talk outside?"

"Of course."

They walked out to the front porch of the Hira farmhouse, but Malia walked further towards the duck pond. Halo had just realized how pretty the grounds were. Maybe he'd plan a picnic here for Leilani when she finally forgave him.

"So what's this about?" Halo asked, turning toward her. Malia flushed as he stood weirdly close, taking a step back.

"U-Uh, I have a favour to ask. I hope it's not too crazy."

Halo chuckled. "Just don't ask me to kill my brother."

Malia didn't laugh along, which made Halo still with seriousness. "Uh, so about that..."

"What?"

"I need you to take the throne from him. You're the rightful King after all. It's just that he's hurt so many people—"

"What are you talking about?" Halo shook his head. "Vaea is a great King."

Malia's expression quickly vaulted into unreserved anger. "Who told you that? Him? Cause I can assure you he's the most shit King to ever have Kinged."

Halo remembered what Vaea said. The Sai people hated him. They all did. All because he wasn't born like Halo. All because he had black hair.

"He doesn't really need white hair to rule you know," Halo defended his brother. "As long as he has the heart. The white hair thing is an old wives' tale. It doesn't make you a better leader."

He'd know. He absolutely hated leading anything.

"This isn't about his hair!" Malia burst out. "He's just a horrible person! You need to ascend to the throne, Prince Halo. Please. I'm not saying this as a rebel. I'm begging as a citizen. We need your help. We need you to free us."

"Free you from what?" Halo raised his voice as well. "You clearly do as you please, blowing up our Kingdom's property and getting away with it."

Malia shook her head in frustration. He really had no idea.

"If I knew you were coming here, I would have made you a list of shit your brother has done since he became King. But I'll just list the things I know from the top of my head," she said, seething.

"He has overtaxed all Sai residents, for payback for fleeing the country during the Golden War. He has refused to increase Sai veterans grants while overtaxing them. He has allowed foreign occupants from other Islands to drive Sai people out of their homes. Countless Sai workers have gone missing because of his special police force. He has cut funding for Sai-run hospitals and dorms from the war. He's done some awful shit and you don't know the half of it!"

Halo was stunned into silence. He registered it all, then erased it from his mind.

"You're lying," he said, making Malia want to throttle him.

"What the fuck?!"

"My brother would never do that. H-He's a good person. He's just broken. He'd never hurt anyone like that. A-All of you are just lying. You're just lying..."

"Goddess, you're a moron!" Malia erupted, tying her hands behind her back before she physically tossed the Prince into the pond. "I just gave you a list that doesn't even cover half of what he's done and you don't believe me? Do you think I'd go blowing up shit for fun? Do you think I want to be a fugitive?"

"You seem like the type of woman who'd seek thrill in that, yes," Halo said callously. "I'm not saying you're lying. But I would have known about this if it were true."

"Really?" Malia laughed bitterly. "Cause, no offense, Prince, you sound like the most unaware airheaded person I've ever met."

Halo frowned and shook his head. "Excuse me?" She was getting too comfortable with the insults. It was like everyone forgot he was still a Prince.

Doormat.

"Yeah!" Malia exclaimed. "I don't get it. I don't get why you can't just become King. It's your birthright. And your people are suffering. Are you just going to sit by and let it happen?"

"I don't want to be King!" Halo snapped. Tired that everyone was bringing it up. It felt like his father had reincarnated and was possessing everyone. "I love traveling and animals and doing fun things that Kings don't do! I don't want to rule people or make them go to war! I want to actually love life!"

"I'm human! Just because I have white hair doesn't mean I want what all my forefathers and mothers wanted. I want what I want. Vaea wants to rule and that's why he's King and not me. Just...just stop asking me to be King."

Malia stood with her arms lame at her sides, disappointed as she stared at him in silence. She'd miscalculated. She was wrong. Very wrong about the Prince.

"Whatever," she muttered and shook her head. "I'm out of here."

She was about to walk away when Halo caught her arm, gently tugging her back. She looked up at him with wide, amber eyes that shone like gold.

"I'm sorry to disappoint you," he told her softly. "But I'm not the man you think I am."

"I'm aware of that now," Malia muttered, avoiding his intensive stare.

"I won't tell Vaea where you are. But you seriously need to go. Please, rather just get away from here. I'd hate to see it end badly for you."

Malia shook her arm out of his grip forcefully. "Things are gonna end badly anyway, because my people are still in pain. And nothing will change because no one cares."

With that she walked away, leaving Halo to ponder deeply on what happened that day.